Mr. Saban Belongan, Provincial Livestock and Poultry Coordinator of MAFAR-Maguindanao, facilitating the topic on "goat breeds and breeding" during training on improved goat management and practices with emphasis on Halal system for project beneficiaries i

In many communities in the Bangsamoro region, goat-raising is a major economic activity. Goat rearing has distinct economic and managerial advantages over other livestock because it requires less initial investment and low input. Goats are also easy to sell, mature sexually early, are very prolific, easy to train and handle, may be raised together with other livestock, and are hardy and could easily adapt to a variety of environmental conditions.

The demand for goats and goat meat is also high in the region. This further increases during religious celebrations such as the Muslim New Year, after the end of Ramadan season, and during "Kalilang"  or Muslim weddings, among others. 

Because of this, goat production offers an attractive undertaking among resource-poor families. Moreover, women and children can be actively involved in the enterprise. It provides stable family income and creates job opportunities especially among unemployed or out-of-school Muslim youth.

Researchers at the Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU) found out that most Muslim farmers usually raise goats that are classified as Halal. However, the researchers also found that the goats raised by local producers are only acceptable to local consumers. One of the reason is the limited knowledge of local farmers on proper Halal production and post-production practices, as well as the absence of Halal goat production and “haram” – substances forbidden or proscribed by Islamic law – detection protocols in the region. As a result, goats tagged as Halal in most markets in Region 12 are still contaminated with "haram" substances, which include, among others, pork derivatives.

To address this and other Halal-related issues in the region’s food industry, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in the Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government hosted the launch of the halal food industry development program, one of the banner programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA) of the national government through the Halal Food Industry Development Program Management Office. This ushered in BARMM’s participation in the Halal trade and addressed the myriad issues on authenticity, including those confronting local Halal goat production.

In line with this, FAO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) of BARMM and partner LGUs in Cotabato and Maguindanao, held a series of 12 community-based, Halal system-compliant, improved goat management and production training for the beneficiaries of its New Zealand Government-funded “Support to Agriculture Based Livelihoods and Agribusiness Enterprise for Sustainable Peace and Development in Maguindanao and Cotabato” project.

Farmer-beneficiaries from nine community-based organizations (CBOs) who are recipients of goat-raising package from the project, as well as participants from three barangays as requested by MAFAR-BARMM, were trained. A total of 312 participants attended the trainings, comprised of 26 members per CBO selected by their respective organizations to participate.

The trainings were conducted in the communities and in compliance with mandated COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

The trainings covered the following: (1) internalizing the Islamic fundamentals and principles of Halal and Haram; (2) shed and support facilities planning and construction; (3) feeds and feeding of Halal goats; (4) goat breeds and breeding; (5) Halal slaughtering; and (6) goat management practices.

Prior to the start of each training session, the project team conducted "goat checks" – an assessment of the knowledge and skills of beneficiaries on goat-raising. This was done not only to identify gaps that the training could address but also to establish the ability of the beneficiaries to reject or accept the animal during the distribution.

Post-tests were also conducted to gauge how much the beneficiaries learned from the training. All training participants were also provided with training and reference materials, including a copy of the handbook on “Philippine National Standard: Code on Halal Goat Production”, which the CBOs could use for their members’ guidance and reference especially those interested to go into goat raising as an enterprise.